


Funny, Isn’t It

by MaryaDmitrievnaLikesSundays



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Internalized Homophobia, Multi, Three Days in the Infirmary (Percy Jackson)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:09:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26412415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryaDmitrievnaLikesSundays/pseuds/MaryaDmitrievnaLikesSundays
Summary: It’s funny how quickly things change.How quickly the Sun rises, how quickly people die. How quickly Nico’s mild disdain towards Will Solace started to become something he was afraid to admit.Funny, isn’t it?
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Jason Grace/Piper McLean, Nico di Angelo & Jason Grace, Nico di Angelo & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 13
Kudos: 160





	Funny, Isn’t It

**Author's Note:**

> For any of you who have seen my previous works I don’t know what happened but I’m turning into a fluff writer. I don’t know when it happened but it did. Here’s a cute thing to make me happy.

It’s funny, Nico thought, how quickly things change.   
  


It seemed like only yesterday he was bumbling around an awkward school dance with Bianca, clutching a stupid Mythomagic figure. It was like he’d just blinked on that snowy cliff, and now he was here, perched on the end of a log at some camp sing along he’d been dragged to.

Nico huffed and scooted further away from the fire. It wasn’t that he didn’t like light—if anything, he wanted it more than anything. But he was made of darkness, and every time he got too close to the fire it started to visibly extinguish. It wasn’t fair to the other campers that he would ruin their night.

Nico tried to ignore the noise that threatened to overwhelm him, but it was impossible. This sing-along was louder than all the others he had heard from his cabin. It was as if every camper was pushing all of their summer experience into the music, trying to savor their last night at camp.

_It’s the last night we’re all gonna be here,_ Percy had said as he pushed him towards the crowd of people. _I’m not letting you sit out of this one._

And he didn’t. Percy had shoved him next to Piper, who was holding hands with Jason. Honestly, Nico felt a bit stupid, sitting alone on this log of couples. Even Frank and Hazel, who nearly fainted at public displays of affection, were leaning on one another and humming along to whatever Greek-perversion of a nursery rhyme was being sung now.

  
The Aphrodite kids were all doubled up with someone. The Stoll brothers were conversing together, and the Hecate cabin all crammed themselves onto one log, pooling their magic to make the flames take the shapes of animals—roaring into dragons, bunnies, and Pegasi before melting back into fire.

Even the Apollo cabin, who usually dispersed themselves among other campers, were all crowded together and leading the sing along. The youngest—he thought her name was Katy—held a tambourine, while a teenage girl next to her smiled into her flute. Most of the siblings were leading a harmony that no one else could fall into, crowded around Will, who was gently strumming his guitar. Nico’s stomach fluttered as his hands moved, plucking out one chord after the other. If he really focused, he could almost pick out Will’s voice in the sea of singers.

The song soon came to an end, and Nico forced himself to look away, blushing. This was stupid. It was just a sing along. After this, Nico could go back to his cabin and pretend he was stoic and cool, pretend he wasn’t watching Will from afar, pretend those three days in the infirmary weren’t the best he’d had since he was ten.

God, no. He couldn’t do this. Not after he’d just gotten over Percy. He told himself he’d never crush on someone again, certainly not after he’d spent three years in anguish over his last one.

Nico was thinking of an excuse to duck out early when Will stood up for the first time that night.

“Alright!” He announced to the chattering group. When they quieted down, Will said, “This is the last time we’ll get to perform for this much of a crowd ‘til next year. So, me and my siblings are gonna do this next one on our own.”

Some of the campers groaned, while others seemed excited to watch.

”Plus, we’re taking suggestions!”

The second the words left Will’s mouth, three hundred campers started yelling over one another. Nico caught suggestions of _Apple Bottom Jeans, Meet Me In The Middle_ , and strangely enough, the _Backyardigans_ theme song. Piper stood, and her charmspeak roared her suggestion over the clamor of the crowd.

” _Can’t Help Falling In Love_!” She shouted, sparing a glance towards Jason.

The Apollo cabin looked between themselves. Will looked like he wanted to disagree, but Katy grabbed his hand and did some puppy-eyed face that Nico detested, and he relented.

”Alright,” Will said, “ _Can’t Help Falling In Love_ it is, I guess.”

  
A mix of cheers and groans sounded from the campers, but they all fell into silence as Will strummer the first chord.

The rest of the cabin fell in tune behind him, but Nico couldn’t hear them once Will started to sing. He didn’t have an exceptional voice, not like his siblings, but it was warm and light and scratchy in just the right way that made it seem more real than the fine-tuned singing of the others. All the couples around him were looking at one another sweetly, but Nico hardly noticed. All he could see were Will’s lips moving gently, his hands strumming the guitar, his body swaying ever so slightly to the music, the firelight making him glow.

Nico wanted to stay frozen in that moment forever, the world around him tinted gold and the ice in his chest starting to thaw, but the song had to come to an end. Will dragged it out, seeming to savor every last syllable.

”...falling in love...with...you.”

As Will played the final chord, he looked up and met Nico’s gaze. For just a moment, all that existed in the world were those beautiful blue eyes, and a deep emotion inside of them that Nico couldn’t quite decipher.

Then the crowd erupted in applause, and Nico broke his stare. His cheeks started to burn. What was he doing? Staring into the eyes of Will Solace like he had a chance? Like whatever was between them could become anything more than an awkward avoidance?

Piper spared Nico a glance, looked at Will, and smiled. Nico’s heart dropped. She opened her mouth to speak, and Nico stood before she could say anything.

He knew exactly what she would say, and he didn’t want to hear any of it.

He turned towards the darkness and stalked away, pretending he didn’t notice the way the fire darkened considerably or the way dead plants crunched beneath his feet even though they had been alive seconds before. The commotion behind him faded, and he put his hands in his pockets as he walked.

Another song started up as Nico walked to the edge of the strawberry fields. There, he couldn’t see the firelight, and he couldn’t see Will’s stupid, beautiful face being all profound and perfect and everything that Nico wasn’t.

Tears started to well in his eyes, but he willed them down. If he started to cry he’d wilt every crop in a mile radius, and he figured the Demeter cabin wouldn’t be happy.

As he started to walk into the fields, a voice behind him called, “Nico!”

Nico froze and turned, his heart already racing. In the bright moonlight, he saw Will jogging towards him his stupid blond hair bouncing in a way that definitely didn’t make Nico’s breath stutter.

He’d have to have a talk with Artemis about how much she let him see at night.

Will caught up to him and stopped, not even panting despite seemingly running half a mile. Nico just stared at his tan face, tinged silver by the moon. Apollo’s son was out of his element.

  
“What are you doing here?” Nico asked. “Aren’t you leading Sing-along?” The word felt stupid in his mouth.

Will shrugged. “Alex took over. She’s not as good at guitar, but nobody can hear it anyways.” A long silence passed between them. Nico shuffled his feet.

”So,” Will said, “Why did you leave back there?”

Nico looked up at him (gods, why did he have to be so tall?). “I don’t know. I just wanted to leave.”

“Yeah, but _why_?”

Nico was starting to get annoyed. What business of it was Will’s if he wanted to leave? Nico didn’t need to answer to anyone. Certainly not to Solace.

Will spoke again, but his tone was softer this time. “You’re not _leaving_ leaving again, are you?”

”What?”

Will said, “I mean, you told me in the infirmary that you were staying. For good, this time. Was that a lie?”

Nico blushed and hoped the darkness hid it. Will had remembered that offhand conversation? Even more...Will cared whether Nico stayed or not?

_Snap out of it,_ Nico thought. _He’s just being nice. Stop thinking it’s anything more._

”No,” he mumbled, refusing to meet Will’s eyes.

”No, that wasn’t a lie? Or no, you’re leaving?”

”No, I’m—I’m staying.” But as he thought it, he wasn’t sure. He was drawn to Will like a magnet, and he wanted so badly to stay here for him, but it would be so much easier to leave and greet cold loneliness like an old friend.

The strange thing was, Will sighed in relief. Like he wanted Nico to stay. Nico felt those damn butterflies mixing up his stomach again. But these butterflies weren’t like the ones that he had with Percy, made of razors that hurt more than anything. They were gentle, and not entirely unpleasant. What hurt more than anything was how strongly they were pulling him towards Will, even as his feet stood still.

”Good,” said Will. “I, uh, I really want you to stay.”

Nico’s head snapped up.

” _What?_ ”

Will‘s ears glowed bright red, and it was probably the best thing Nico had seen in his entire life.

Will coughed lightly. “Just, you know, all my siblings are leaving. And most of my friends. I still need someone to hang out with.”

  
_Oh._

And just like that, the balloon that was slowly expanding in his chest popped and deflated. Will didn’t feel anything for him. He didn’t even really want to spend time with him. Nico was a last choice, a winner by default. Someone to talk to only when the rest of the world is empty.

His eyes welled with fresh tears, and Nico turned away so Will wouldn’t see. Apparently, that was too late.

”Nico?” Nico didn’t turn, but Will stepped forwards and placed a hand on Nico’s shoulder. Nico jumped at the context and quickly wiped at his eyes. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Nico choked back a sob. “N-nothing, it’s stupid, I’m stupid. Just...go back to the campfire.”

Will grabbed Nico’s other shoulder and turned him gently so they were facing one another. His face, only inches away from Nico’s, was painted in concern.

”What’s wrong? Did I say something?”

Nico laughed, a bitter sound cutting through the tears that were finally slipping down his face. God, he felt so pathetic. “Did you _say_ something? Uh, yeah, Solace, you basically just told me I’m your last choice!”

Will’s face fell. “Oh, gods, Nico, I’m so sorry. That wasn’t what I meant, I swear—“

”Yeah, well, too late,” Nico said. “I get it. Nobody wants to be around the death omen. Just go back to the campfire, and I’ll be gone by morning.”

Will stepped back, and Nico tried not to mourn the loss of contact “Goddamnit,” Will mumbled to himself. His head hung so sadly that even through his anger, Nico felt pity cut through him.

”What?” He asked against his will. He cringed at his shaking voice.

Will looked at the ground, the trees, anywhere but Nico. “Gods, you never make this easy, do you?”

” _What?_ ”

Finally, Will met his eyes. In them were the same deep emotion Nico had seen at the campfire, but twisted now, sadder. It seemed almost like a muted version of what Nico felt when confronting Cupid.

Will’s voice was soft when he said, “Nico, I...I’ve been trying to skirt around you, make things normal but—but I really like you, okay?”

Nico’s entire body froze. Even his tears stopped flowing.

”And I know you probably don’t feel the same, Styx, you’re from the thirties, you probably don’t even know what being gay is, but I just want to talk to you and you always run away! Is it—is it something wrong with me? Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Nico could have stayed there, slack jawed and wide eyed, for the rest of eternity just trying to remember his name, but there was so much sadness in Will’s eyes as he waited for an answer that Nico forced himself out of his stupor.

”Will, holy shit, _what_? I like you, gods, I’ve liked you since Gaea. I—I thought you’d hate me for it, everyone does, I do, that’s why I’ve been avoiding you. And here you are, upset because you like _me_? Me! Son of Hades! I just...”

What could he say? What could he say to clear the air, to make this all right?

”I think I’m in love with you.”

Now it was Will’s turn to freeze. For a long, long moment, neither of them said anything. Nico’s breath turned to frost in front of him even though it was August, and he realized he had dropped the temperature around himself. But Will...Will was practically glowing golden light, radiating warmth that Nico could feel from where he stood.

Will took a step forwards. Then another, until their faces were only inches apart. He raised his hand to Nico’s jaw, asking a silent question.

Nico quickly nodded.

Will leaned forwards, and when their lips met, Nico felt Will’s light warm him from that point. Will’s hands found his hair, and every point where they connected felt electrified. Nico in turn wrapped his arms around Will’s waist, pulling him closer. Will shuddered, and Nico didn’t know if it was from the kiss or his freezing touch. Will was warm, so warm, and all Nico knew was light.

Eventually, tragically, the kiss broke. Nico was sure he looked insane, staring up at Will like a deer in headlights with tousled hair and flushed skin. Will really was glowing, emitting a soft golden light that reminded Nico of gelato and campfires and dancing with his sister. For a long time, they just looked at each other.

Slowly, Nico’s mouth formed words. “Okay,” he whispered.

Will smiled, and Nico almost blacked out. “Okay,” he replied.

Without another word, their hands linked, and they turned to walk back to the campfire. All Nico could think was that he was holding Will’s hands, and it was so beautifully warm, and his head felt cloudy in the best possible way.

When they made it back to the fire, the sing along was in full swing. Nico realized that they must have only been gone a few minutes, but his tears felt like a million years ago. Piper eyed him at first with concern, but smiled when their eyes met. Nico probably looked happier than he ever had. He didn’t even care.

Will led him to where the Apollo kids sat. They said nothing, just grinned and made a spot for him to sit. He and Will sat together, and slowly, Nico laid his head on Will’s shoulder. For once, maybe sing along wasn’t so bad.

He noted that the campfire wasn’t reduced to embers yet, even though he was right in front of it. In fact, it seemed to only glow brighter with his presence.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment, please, I enjoy external validation


End file.
